Plans for the launch of Namibia's new national airline are taking shape. According to media reports, the company, Namibia Air (Pty) Ltd, has received its operating licenses. The historic first flight of one of its aircraft is scheduled for next December.
The Transportation Commission of Namibia has granted Namibia Air official operating licenses, reports the news portal Aviation.direct. The licenses for operating commercial scheduled and charter flights are valid for five years.
They provide the legal basis for acquiring aircraft. However, before commencing passenger operations, the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) must still issue the airline an Air Operator Certificate (AOC).
Five years after the Namibian government pulled the plug on Air Namibia, it is planning to re-establish a state-owned airline. Air Namibia ceased operations in February 2021 during the Covid-19 travel restrictions and was liquidated. It had incurred billions in losses (see the Wikipedia article).
According to the report by Aviation.direct, Namibia Air's operating concept is leaner than that of Air Namibia. For the time being, it will forgo long-haul routes, such as those to Europe.
Instead, the company will focus on domestic and regional flights, reported The Namibian. The airline anticipates a market potential of 800,000 passengers on domestic and regional routes.
The bases are Hosea Kutako International Airport, 30 km east of Windhoek, and Eros Airport, south of Windhoek's city centre. In addition to domestic destinations, regional destinations such as Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Luanda, Lusaka, Gaborone, Victoria Falls, and Harare are planned.
Namibia Air intends to start with seven aircraft from the Brazilian manufacturer Embraer. Specifically, they plan to acquire four Embraer E145s (approximately 50 seats) at US$3 million each. These will be supplemented by three larger Embraer E170s (approximately 75 seats) or E175s (up to 88 seats) at US$8 million each.
Experts are skeptical about the timeline for a December launch, reports Aviation.direct. Namibia Air must meet several requirements for its Air Operator Certificate (AOC). These include technical infrastructure, qualified ground and flight personnel, operational procedures and certified safety and maintenance systems.
The NCAA typically verifies all of this through extensive inspections and test flights. Given the current high demand for regional aircraft, it may take some time for Namibia Air to receive its planes. Furthermore, crews will need to be trained and licensed on the respective aircraft types.
Experts also doubt the economic viability of the state-owned airline. Domestically, Namibia Air competes with the private carrier FlyNamibia. On the lucrative routes in southern Africa, well-known airlines such as Airlink and South African Airways operate.
The Namibian flag on the wingtip: Five years after Air Namibia ceased operations, Namibia's new state-owned airline is gradually taking shape. Photo (2008): Sven-Eric Stender